


Accidents Happen

by Caiti (Caitriona_3)



Category: Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Adorable!Tony, Do not bring science projects home, F/M, Mad Science, Surprises, Transformation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-20
Updated: 2012-12-20
Packaged: 2017-11-21 16:02:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/599608
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Caitriona_3/pseuds/Caiti
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bruce brings his latest puzzle to movie night. It has a strange effect on Darcy, Clint, and Natasha. Tony learns something about the people around him.  Pepper thinks he's adorable.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Accidents Happen

**Author's Note:**

  * For [ramsay_baggins](https://archiveofourown.org/users/ramsay_baggins/gifts).



> This was written for Avengers Fest on LJ. I wrote this for ramsaybaggins, and I certainly hope my recipient liked the gift. It is not part of the Compass Rose 'verse, but it could _almost_ fit. I'm posting it now since the authors have been unveiled.

“Who started movie night?” Tony demanded as he watched the popcorn bag puff up in the microwave. Pepper shushed him, but he rolled right over that. “I could be in the labs. We could be spending some quality time _alone_ , but noooo, not on movie night! Get drinks, pop popcorn-” He broke off for a moment as raised voices drifted in from the media room. He turned back to his companion. “Listen to the children squabble over what to watch.”

Pepper suppressed a giggle as they eavesdropped on Clint and Darcy arguing about movies. “Darcy’s going to win,” she stated calmly as she heard the bold brunette threaten her boyfriend with the couch if he tried to make them watch another action flick.

“Ah, yes, the idea of losing one’s favorite teddy bear will do that.” Tony gave her a grin as Clint’s voice turned sulky. Pepper raised an eyebrow at him. He shrugged. “When we were trapped in that snowstorm for two days last month? Featherhead kept himself wrapped around Miss Stacked whenever they slept.”

“He may have been keeping her warm,” Pepper noted. The common sense tone did nothing to hide the wicked smile hovering at the corners of her lips.

His eyes matched her smile. “She was much too comfortable for that position to be new.”

Bruce wandered in, his eyes glued to some papers as he reached blindly for his tea tin. He glanced at them. “Now they’re arguing over the remote. I figured I had time to come make tea before Natasha steals it from them.”

“Has she rolled her eyes yet?” Tony asked.

“Just as I walked out,” Bruce answered.

Pepper shook her head. “In that case, you’re too late.” She glanced at her watch. “10, 9, 8…” She began counting down. All of their heads turned towards the open door as she reached one.

“Tasha!” Laughter erupted in the kitchen as two voices whined in stereo.

**BOOM!**

The amusement vanished. A green glaze flickered in Bruce’s eyes. Tony pushed Pepper behind him. Bruce rushed to the door. Pepper went to follow.

“Stay put!” Tony ordered. He moved up behind Bruce. A silver smoke filled the other room. “JARVIS?”

“Dissipating the smoke now,” JARVIS answered calmly. “Sensors show Agents Romanoff and Barton as well as Miss Lewis still in the room. The readings are odd however.”

“Odd how?” Tony asked. He held Bruce back as the smoke cleared. 

JARVIS hesitated. “Their bio-rhythms seem to have changed into a range more befitting-“

“Damn!” Tony goggled over Bruce’s shoulder as he took in the scene.

Pepper hurried forward. “What is it?” Her jaw dropped as she looked in.

Three little faces peered around various pieces of furniture. A wide-eyed, dark haired moppet crawled out from under the table. She giggled as she was pulled back to her hiding place by a sturdy looking little boy. He moved in front of her, his blue eyes scanning the room with a curious, but guarded gaze. An unhappy red-headed little girl peeked around the corner of a chair. Her wary eyes inspected the gaping adults. She managed to give the impression of protecting the others while still staying half-hidden. They all looked around three or four years old.

“What…the…hell?” Tony’s mutter broke the stunned silence.

A giggle came from under the table. “Bad word!” Little Darcy peered up at him with a wide smile. Tony’s lips curled in amusement. Her previously form-fitting sweater hung loose around her tiny body. All eyes and mouth, she reminded him of a pixie. He stepped forward.

Little Natasha bared her teeth at him. She looked adorable with her bangs hanging in her eyes and her red T-shirt falling off one shoulder. He blinked hard, biting the inside of his cheek to keep from smiling. He could hear Pepper cough behind him and start whispering rapidly under her breath. “Don’t laugh. Don’t laugh. Don’t laugh.” He cleared his throat.

“Natasha?” he asked, kneeling down to her eye level. “Do you know who I am?” Her face softened slightly, but she did not answer.

“You…” A hesitant voice started to answer but trailed off. He looked around to meet Little Clint’s blue gaze. He smiled and gave the boy a nod of encouragement. “Do you remember me, Clint?”

Clint took a breath. “Tony?”

“Right!” Tony smiled at him. “Do you think it would be okay for Darcy to come out now?”

Clint grinned back, his tiny face much more open than his adult counterpart. He leaned down and pulled at Darcy’s sleeve. The little brunette stood up and threw herself into Tony’s arms. “Tony!”

“Hello to you too, Miss Darcy?” Tony smiled. “Are you okay?”

“Uh, huh,” she nodded, holding onto his neck. She started babbling a mile a minute about something, but Tony could not decipher what she was actually saying. He stuck with smiling and nodding at the happy child.

Clint moved up so he stood next to them. Tony ruffled his hair. “How about you, Clint? You feeling alright?”

“Yep!” The little boy nodded, bouncing in place. “I like it here.”

“Good,” Tony replied before turning to the last of the kids. “Natasha?”

She stared at him for a long moment. He held a hand out to her and she bit her lip. 

Pepper started forward. “Maybe I should-“

Natasha ducked back down behind the chair. Pepper stopped and retreated to the kitchen doorway. 

Tony glanced at his girlfriend. “That’s a new reaction.”

“It may be something from her past,” Pepper answered, her eyes grave. “Remember, Natasha was very young when she was conscripted. She doesn’t seem to have the adult memories to help her cope.”

“Okay,” he said before looking back towards the chair. “Come on out, Natasha,” he coaxed in his gentlest voice. “Nobody’s going to hurt you here.” She peeked out once more. He gave her a smile. “You’re safe here, sweetie. This is home, and you’re safe.”

Her eyes narrowed, but she stepped out, slowly making her way towards him. Her gaze shifted to Pepper and Bruce, wariness in every line of her body. They stayed back to avoid upsetting her. When she reached Tony, she held out her hand. It held an empty vial. She whispered, “I found this.”

“Thank you, Natasha,” Tony replied, calmly taking it from her. “Is this yours, Bruce?” he asked, tossing his fellow scientist the small container. Bruce looked it over as Natasha shyly took Tony’s hand.

“It was something SHIELD asked me to check into,” Bruce muttered, holding the empty vial. “We need to run some tests. It might be nothing, but we need to check this first.”

The kids did not like the blood work or the scans, but they stood still after Tony promised them a movie and popcorn. He directed JARVIS to show them some cartoons while he and Pepper gathered around Bruce for the results.

“The stuff in their blood definitely matches the compound SHIELD asked me to look over.” Bruce pulled away from the scanner.

“The concentration of the compound is decreasing,” JARVIS noted. “Your first samples showed an 85% concentration. The last ones are at 40%.”

Bruce tilted his chin down. “That rate of deterioration means they _should_ be back to normal by morning.”

“Good,” Pepper nodded. “We can put them to bed in their own rooms then.”

“Wonder if they’ll think it was all a dream?” Tony pondered. His lips began to curve upwards as a glint of humor grew in his eyes. 

“Tony.” Two voices issued a warning in unison.

He put an innocent look on his face. “What?” Neither of them looked convinced. He shrugged. “It was just a thought.”

Tony gathered the kids together in the media room. Pepper chose _Alice in Wonderland_ and everyone settled in to watch. Darcy cuddled into Tony’s left side as Natasha did the same on his right. Clint curled around Darcy.

It still struck him as odd. He could not figure out why the kids chose _him_. He would have thought Pepper a better choice. Even Bruce…but, no, Natasha shied away from the other man. Unlike her adult version, the little girl had trouble separating Bruce from her vague memories of his larger alter ego.

But why him?

Tony could wheel and deal with the best of them, but he made an effort not to lie to himself. He knew he was spoiled, often too egocentric, and felt tact was overrated. People liked his money, his brains, and his work, but they rarely liked _him_. Well, except for Pepper and Rhodey, but they were unique people.

So why did these kids, with their fractured memories, pick him?

“Maybe you should ask them,” Pepper said softly.

Tony winced. “Was I talking out loud?”

“Only the last bit,” she answered. “Now, ask them.”

Tony looked down.

“Home,” Natasha whispered before he could ask. She would not say anything else. She just buried her face in his side.

Tony lifted a brow even as he tightened his arm around her. Clint shifted, his eyes serious and intent. “We don’t ‘member a lot, but we scared people. You gave us a home.”

Darcy gave a tired giggle. “Safe in Tony’s home.” She crawled into his lap and leaned on his chest. “Safe, fun, funny.” Clint scooted into her abandoned spot.

Tony watched as his indomitable, ever practical Pepper melted and cooed. Her smile turned into the gentlest one he had ever seen.

“JARVIS, are you recording this?” she asked.

“Yes, Ms. Potts.”

“Good,” she replied decisively. “I want a copy of this picture.”

“Yes, Ms. Potts.”

Tony shook his head, but she merely smiled. “You’ve never looked more adorable.”

The kids fell asleep before the end of the movie. It did not take long for the three adults to move them into their own beds.

“I almost think I’ll miss them,” Tony told Pepper as they got ready for bed.

“Oh?” she asked, a smile flickering over her face.

“Almost,” he replied hastily. “ _Almost._ ”

“Of course,” she agreed.

He frowned at her because she agreed while wearing her ‘I’m humoring you, Mr. Stark’ face. She leaned in and kissed him. “You’re allowed to miss them, you know.”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “But…well…” He trailed off.

She hugged him. “You’re also allowed to miss them as adults.”

“Hah!” Tony grumbled as he slid into bed. “Like I miss those three?” He ticked off points on his fingers. “Nat hovers around my lab while I’m trying to work. Featherhead shoots Nerf arrows at me.” He paused before glancing around the room. “And don’t think I haven’t noticed the lack of warning, JARVIS. Fine thing when a man’s own creations-“

“And Darcy?” Pepper interrupted as she crawled into bed.

“Miss Stacked is always stealing my coffee” he muttered.

She looked at him as he rested her hand over his heart. “So you don’t miss them?”

He twitched. “Well…”

“You don’t miss Darcy trading quips with you at breakfast?” Pepper continued as his voice faded. “You don’t miss Clint helping you come up with new ways to prank people?” He hummed under his breath and she smiled. “You don’t miss Natasha scaring away people who bother you in the lab?”

He huffed and groused for a moment before sighing in resignation. “Yes, okay, I miss them. Happy, now?”

“I just want you to remember something,” she said serenely.

“What?”

“It wasn’t just the _kids_ who chose you.”

He stared at her silently. She patted his chest and drifted off to sleep. He gazed into the darkness as the idea settled into his mind.

The terrible trio, even as adults, had chosen _him_.

The next morning found them in the kitchen making coffee. Pepper tapped away on her tablet, muttering about meetings and schedules while Tony came up with wilder and crazier reasons to miss each one. A groan interrupted the ongoing banter.

“Oh, my God,” Darcy grumbled as she stumbled into the kitchen, one hand clasped to her head. “What happened last night?” She collapsed onto one of the chairs at the corner table. “I don’t remember drinking anything last night, but it’s all really, really vague.”

Tony and Pepper exchanged smiles as Clint and Natasha walked in behind her. They were less obvious in their confusion, but Tony could see the cloud in both of their gazes. Bruce slipped in behind them and raised his brows in Tony’s direction.

“Hey, JARVIS?”

“Yes, sir?”

“Play the tape from last night,” Tony grinned.

“Yes,sir.”

Darcy, Clint, and Natasha watched the tape with various expressions of embarrassment, dismay, and horror. Darcy turned a deep red as she watched her younger self babbling. Clint held himself extremely still as he watched his younger alter ego cuddling into Tony and the girls. Natasha’s eyebrows twitched as she saw herself holding Tony’s hand. 

Silence reigned in the kitchen as the tape came to an end.

“So,” Pepper chirped brightly. “Breakfast?”

A couple of days later the Avengers were called out to deal with an attempted invasion by some kind of mole men. They dealt with the situation easily, once more reassuring the people of New York. Tony grinned at the group as they joined Pepper, Darcy, and Jane in the media room on their return.

“Movie night?” he offered. Clint and Natasha paled as Darcy choked.

“Sorry,” Clint shot back, pulling Darcy out of her seat. “We’ve got dinner plans.” 

“Yeah,” Darcy agreed, nodding quickly. “Dinner. Plans. Right.”

Tony raised his eyebrows. “Really?”

“I’m driving,” Natasha announced. 

“Really?” Clint blinked at her. She gave him a direct stare. His free hand came up in a gesture of surrender. “Right, she’s driving.” He hustled Darcy out of the room with Natasha right behind them.

“Are they alright?” Steve asked. He frowned after them in confusion.

Jane stared after the vanished trio. “That was a bit strange, even for them.”

“They’re fine,” Pepper laughed as she came up to Tony. She kissed him on the cheek. “We’ll get the popcorn.”

Tony sighed and followed her into the kitchen as the others made their way into the media room. “Well, at least this time they’re laughing.”

“Steve’s too polite to argue with Jane,” Pepper noted as she opened the microwave.

Bruce walked into the kitchen. “Thor’s asking about a movie Darcy told him that Jane enjoyed.” He shrugged. “We may be watching _The Princess Bride_.”

“It could be worse,” Pepper replied.

**BOOM!**

“Damn it, Bruce,” Tony grumbled, rushing towards the door.

“I didn’t bring anything,” Bruce insisted as he followed. “Jane did.”

The three hesitantly peered into the media room. 

A golden retriever, a tortoiseshell cat, and a Doberman pinscher wandered through the media room.

Tony’s jaw dropped. “You have got to be kidding me!"


End file.
